"That's the Nikola we need": Nikola Jokic shakes off benching and explodes for 36 in loss to Cavs

DENVER — Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic looked disinterested in Denver’s 118-107 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, which prompted Michael Malone to initiate a 1-on-1 chat with his franchise cornerstone about playing with a more aggressive nature.

Less than a day later, Denver got an aggressive Jokic against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Jokic finished with 36 points on an efficient 12-14 shooting, 13 rebounds and six assists. He shot 10-11 from the line. Jokic’s 17-point third quarter brought Denver back from a 12-point halftime deficit. The Cavaliers — behind a memorable 39-point performance from LeBron James — escaped Denver with a 113-108 win, but Jokic’s post-halftime burst made it close.

“I thought he was great,” Malone said. “That’s the Nikola that we need.”

Jokic looked hesitant and out of his element offensively since Denver got Paul Millsap back from a three-month absence due to a left wrist injury. Since Millsap returned to the Nuggets’ starting lineup, Jokic had only attempted 22 shots over the past three games — a far cry from the 12.5 field goal attempts he averaged in Millsap’s absence.

“He’s got to be aggressive, point blank, period,” Will Barton said. “(He’s) one of our best players. He does a lot for the team. He just has to be aggressive. I don’t know if he’s going to have 40 or 20, it’s just the fact of him being aggressive, and that’s how all our key players have to be. You’ve got to be aggressive to make them respect you. If he’s out there not looking to score, not looking at the basket, it hurts us.”

Denver made a point to play through Jokic on Wednesday. Malone called significantly more plays for him from the first quarter on and after Jokic registered just nine post-ups over his past three games, according to NBA.com. Jokic’s first three field-goal attempts against Cleveland were all from the block.

Many more post-ups followed as the Nuggets force-fed and played through Jokic around the rim. Nine of Jokic’s 14 field goal attempts came in the paint.

“Maybe yes, maybe no,” Jokic said when asked if there were more plays called for him tonight.

The Nuggets only scored 108 points against the Cavaliers on 48.8 percent shooting Wednesday. It was a far cry from the 126 Denver put on Cleveland just five days ago. That night the Nuggets shot better than 54 percent from both the field and three, but Jokic scored just nine points on 3-8 shooting.

The 23-year-old said no changes were made to his approach in the two teams’ second matchup of the season.

“That’s how the game opened up for me, so I just took what the game gave me,” Jokic said.

Jokic’s 36 points — his second-highest scoring output of the season — was all for not. With 16 seconds on the clock and the Cleveland Cavaliers clinging to a three-point lead, James surveyed the Nuggets’ defense one final time, pivoted towards the basket, took four dribbles with his left hand, stepped back off his left foot and launched a towering 16-footer over Wilson Chandler’s outstretched arms.

Swish.

The basket was James’ 38th and 39th points of the night. James also scored the Cavaliers’ last nine points of the evening.

“That’s why he’s the best in the league,” Jokic said.

Wednesday’s defeat was a small step in the right direction for the Nuggets, who fell to ninth place in the Western Conference with the loss. Denver got Jokic back on track offensively — a prerequisite to any potential playoff push — but its offense still isn’t back to the level it played at before Paul Millsap returned to the starting lineup four games ago.

The Nuggets’ next three opponents the Los Angeles Lakers (twice) and the Sacramento Kings are three winnable games. With just 17 remaining, Denver needs every victory it can get.

“We all would rather have a win than my (36) points,” Jokic said.